what shall i call you?
by Aquaticmage
Summary: Autum Mandrake's life has been more than just peachy and her job is more than dangerous. When she crosses pathes with the yu yu gang and her brother and father all hell breaks loose. ockurama story
1. Goodbye and welcome back

What Shall I Call You?

Aquaticmage: hey i made a new one i'm going to see if it goes well and people like it or i'll just leave it and not update.

/ start story/

I quickly pulled on a baggy white tang top and some baggy jeans. I slipped on my socks and shoes. Quickly combed my hair and applied deodorant. Pulled on a beanie and put on my pentagram earrings. Ran down the stair into the kitchen, grabbed a bagel and my bag pack and raced out the door to school. This was how my mornings usually were. Always a rush. I never wake up at the right time because my tormenting big brother likes to turn my alarm clock off to make me late for school.

I don't really look forward to going to school but, today was the first day after spring vacation and I didn't want to miss anything to day. Especially since it was rumored around the school that our school gym teacher was being fired and I didn't want to miss the first day of getting a peaceful gym class for once. Even though we'd only have a substitute at first. Although that's the only reason I'm going because I have to for I'm Autumn Mandrake, a high school loser. Even the geeks and nerds don't want to hang out with me, but the funny thing is that my brother is one of the schools most popular and hottest boys in school. He's only second to Suichi Minamino. Me I don't even go near his type I'll just depress them or scar there reputations, beside I'm just a big fat loser. Although I lost a lot of weight over the summer, because now I look like an f'n model, but I'm still the same loser from last year.

One of the reasons I'm always picked on is because I always carry a laptop around, I'm always typing on it, I'm fricken smart so I've skipped a grade which put me in the senior class with my brother and Suichi, plus I've got pink hair and I'm pale as hell, oh and the piece of resistance is that I'm afraid of men. So I'm a real whack job if I do say so myself. As I keep talking to myself inside my head about why people make fun of me I just make it to the bus. My older brothers in the back grinning like a retarded monkey at me because I look all frazzled from running to the bus stop. My seats always unoccupied so I sit right behind Tory the bus driver. He's a pretty cool guy, he's actually one of my only friends after my friend Summer moved. So the people I was left with for friends were Tory the bus driver, my counselor Ms. Jingoist, and the Janitor Sally who I eat lunch with every day.

So I get to school and go through the whole hazing thing as I walk to my locker, when I notice Yusuke Urameshi leaning on my locker. Oh. Great I wonder what he wants, I think as I walk towards my locker. When I start to get closer to the locker he notices me and walks towards me. I start to get really tense but just as I'm about to hyperventilate he walks right past me and starts being all chummy with his girlfriend Kieko. Oh god I was so stupid to think he wanted me for something, he doesn't even know I exist, he must have just been leaning on my locker waiting for Kieko she is after all using the locker right next to me. So I hurry over to my locker and notice all the pictures of Summer and I, hanging out, traveling, and acting stupid together hanging on the inside of my locker. I grab a soda from my locker and put it in my bag because I use my locker as a fridge. As I'm about to grab a snack pack my locker slams shut. I look over to see my tormentors standing beside me.

It was the Suichi fan clubs top members and their president. "What not even a nice high in the morning Autumn? Don't you like us any more? Oh wait you don't have any friends. But let me just get to the point, I'm here because I caught you sneaking a peek at my dear Suichi during class last week and I just witnessed you near one of his friends. Let me remind you one last time stay away from him, his friends, and importantly don't even look at them. Ok. Well have a super day," Amanda their president spat at me.

Well it looked like my day was starting out just fine. So most of my classes went on uneventful and lunch was just the same usual eating in the janitors' closet talking with Sally about life. And then the period I'd been waiting for gym. And the rumor was true, the teacher was fired and we had a new one. He was this super hot lookin' oriental man with short blue hair with green bangs and he told us to just call him by his first name Touya.

He was a bitch of an instructor though. He had us do fifty laps around the gym, do one hundred fifty push ups, and to top it all of we had run 50 more laps caring medicine balls. But thankfully for me I wasn't to out of shape and I didn't even break a sweat.

As I finished my last lap with the medicine ball I made my way over to the benches and sat down. I then began to watch some of my tormentors suffer as they tried to finish their laps to no avail. I quietly laughed to myself as they kept stumbling and falling all over the place. "You know it's not nice to laugh at others if their failing."

I jumped and quickly turned around to see my gym teacher. He was sitting right behind me and if I wasn't breathing heavily before I was now. "Me… laughing at… them. No. I just find it…amusing that the lazy…used to be fat girl…can do this and…they can't," I let out between breaths. "I sound like you just made it through," Touya stated. "I…did…just hyperventilating…now."

He kind a looks at me with wide eyes. "Do you need to go to the nurse," he asked me. "Who's…the nurse…today," I ask. "It's Mr. Puccini."

"No…that'll just…make…it worse," I gasped out. "Yeah it probably will," I heard come from next to me.

I looked over to see my counselor. "Honey when I heard that you got a new gym teacher and that he was male I new I had to come and get you out of here before you can't breathe. So come on Miss Mandrake lets go."

Oh thank the gods; I didn't know how much longer I could stand this torture. "Excuse me, but she's in the middle of her gym class she can't just leave," Touya said.

"Actual she can because her state of mind will be compromised if she doesn't. I say this as simple as I can to get the seriousness of this is only once. Miss Mandrake is afraid of men," My counselor said. I can't believe she said that. I wish I could just die on the spot. Actual no that I mention it I'm feeling a bit dizzy. "Ms. Jingoist… lack of…oxygen to…brain...feeling dizzy," I shot out between gasps for air. "As you can see she has to be taken out of your class now. Let's go child before you pass out and we need to call 911."

As Ms. Jingoist helped me leave the gym I looked back at Touya to notice him and Hiei Jaganashi looking at me weirdly. Oh god he must have been behind me the whole time. Great the Suichi fan club was going to beat me up now. I know I could take them, but I didn't want to get kick out of school for fighting. Especial since I only had a few months left.

I talked to Ms. Jingoist for the rest of the period trying to find out why I'm afraid of men when then the final bell rang and school was out. I had to stay after today any way so I wasn't going home anyways. I worked with the librarian after school to help her clean the library and organize it. After I finish with that I help the Janitors clean up the place and the helped the teachers make their teaching plan s for the next day. After I got finished with that I helped the bus drivers clean their buses and it would be about six thirty. Thankfully one of the female bus drivers lived near me and would drive me home after I was done. I already did my home work when I was at school so I was basically free to do what ever I wanted to do. And for some reason we had no school tomorrow I could stay up and talk to Summer online for the rest of the night. By the time I got home it was about seven at night. When I entered the house I knew something was wrong. Especially when I saw nine set of shoes that belonged to no one in the house so I quietly shut the door behind me and quietly went up the stair. When I was close to my brothers room I tried to sneak past it to get to the stair that lead to the attic which was my room when I heard some one say, "Hey there pretty thing why don't you come in here so we can get to know each other." I turned my head to the side to see my brother hanging out with Suichi and his friends and some kids I didn't recognize, and my gym teacher Touya. Wait was he hanging out with my gym teacher? Oh goddess some one save me please!

"Hey that's my sister Chu don't hit on her besides she afraid of men you might give her a heart attack. So leave her alone," My older brother scolded him. "Really Dante, well I can fix that, come here Shelia," the Australian voice named Chu purred. I yelped when a hand shot towards me and I ran up into my room slammed the door and locked it behind me. I threw my bag into the recesses of my room and jumped on my and grabbed my laptop from my dresser. As I logged onto the inter net I heard the people down stair laughing and joking around. I wish Summer was still here we'd be the ones laughing and joking around but she wasn't here any more.

Every one really did believe me when I told them she moved but the truth was she ran away. Her parents died last year and she was living by her self, but every now and then she'd stay here. But right before my senior year started she got up and left, she told me she had to go and find some thing out for herself and wouldn't be back until she did.

Every now and then she'd be on IM to tell me she's okay but lately I haven't heard any thing from her and I was starting to get worried. I guess today was the same. She wasn't on today.

I quietly placed the laptop back on the dresser and turned on my radio and started listening to Eminem's song mocking bird. I blasted it to drown out the happy voices down stairs. I wanted to cry and didn't know why but I knew mom would be home soon and she'd know that I did and want me to tell her why. And she knows if I'm lying so I wouldn't know what to say, besides I didn't need them to think I was even more screwed up.

I was snapped out of my thoughts when I heard banging coming from my door. I walked over to my door and unlocked it. I slightly opened it some I could see who was knocking on it and it was one of the people from downstairs. It was the girl named Boton who showed up at school every now and then. I noticed that the rest of them were crowding at the bottom of the stairs. "What do you want," I asked. "Oh I came up here to ask you if you'd turn of your music. It's a little loud and well the songs kinda depressing," She said cheerfully. Oh god her voice sounds so happy and preppy, god I think my ears are going to bleed. "No. I like this music and I don't care if its depressing because I'm a very depressing person."

I slammed the door in her face, locked it and went back to my bed. Dante started yelling at me through the door when I heard my moms' voice and it sounded like she needed help carrying groceries. I turned off my music went to the door unlocked it, opened it, shut it, locked it with my key, walked past all of the people, and walked out side to help my mother.

When I got out there and she looked like she was having trouble closing the car door. I smiled at her and closed it for her. "Need some help mom," I asked. "Oh would you. I can't carry all these it's just to heavy," she whined as she dropped all of them in my arms. I quickly followed after her through the front door and into the kitchen shaking my head at her antics. I set all the groceries on the table and started to put them away as she went to the fridge and grabbed a soda.

"So how many friends does your brother have over today," My mom asked me. "Oh he has about nine friends over and two of them are girls and apparently they didn't like Eminem very much," I told her.

She looked at me appalled over something I said and I knew exactly what too. "They don't like Eminem. Oh the in humanity of it all. Well I'll just have to fix that. Honey you go ahead and listen to as much Eminem as you want, and if you really want me to I can go up stairs and embarrass you brother and scare all his friends," she said looking at me hopefully. "Well since you put it like that would you," I chimed looking at her. "Of course any thing to cheer you up!"

I laughed as she started up the stairs singing Dante's name. I then ran up the stairs as fast I could to my room when I heard Dante yell, "Autumn I going to kick your ass for this."

I then heard him come up the stairs as I closed my door and locked it. He started banging on the door screaming at me as I started laughing out loud. After I wiped away my tears of joy, I sighed, I didn't get much enjoyment out of life. Not since my father got up and left this family and never came back. He broke moms heart that day, I remember she had cried for days, But she said at least he was still alive. I don't remember much back then but I do remember he was the only family member who actual believed in me and took the time to play with me. Even back then I had no friends, my dad was my only friend and when he left a part of me died. My happiness.

I guess I spaced out for a while because the banging on my door stopped. When my eyes focused I noticed my brother hovering above me. Wait my brothers hovering above me. "Well welcome back space cadet," he said, his words dripping with sarcasm.

I then proceeded to launch off my bed to see all his friends in my broken door way. Wait broken door way. He broke my fucking door off the hinges. He will pay. In cash of course. I don't take checks. I then glared at him from the corner of my room.

"Hey guys do you think we should stop him from fighting his sister. I mean he could really hurt her," one of the girls said. Great even they think I suck. "Na, this is some thing you don't come between. When siblings fight it can get brutal. Besides I'm sure he'll hold back from doing any real damage," Yusuke informed.

They act like I'm not even here. I hate it when people do that. But I have the advantage, we're in my territory and I have a few tricks up me sleeve. Dante started running towards me when he hit my wire and an anvil fell from the ceiling and almost hit him. "What the fuck is wrong with you. Why the hell would you put something like that up there? Are you psychotic," Dante yelled at me. "No I'm paranoid. There's a difference, and it's not my fault you're to stupid to realize my room is booby trapped. It's been that way since you read my diary you bastard," I bit out. "That was when you were seven years old. What if mom walked in here she could have gotten hurt."

"Mom has me turn it off when she comes in here plus she knows where all the booby traps are anyways," I screamed back at him. "Where the hell is it so we can fight fare and you can lose," he shouted at me. "It's right by the door. Under my lamp. Just press the button," I told him smugly. He walked over to the lamp, shucked it across my room and presses the BIG…RED…BUTTON. Idiot doesn't he know not to press the big red button, it always does something bad. Flashing red lights went off in my room as a loud noise permeated though it. Then a machine like voice came on, "Finger print denied. This is not Autumn Mandrake, eject, eject".

Then Dante went flying though a whole that opened up in the roof and out into a pool a few blocks down from the house. The hole re-closed and every one was staring at me like I had three heads. "I'm very good with machines, plus since I have no friends I have a lot of time, so I got bored and think of new ways to improve the performance of my security system. I'm probably going to fix that one, it's to slow," I said turning towards them. "And now if you'll excuse me I'm going to fix and barricade my door now," I said as I walked towards them and put the door back up leaving them on the other side.

When I finished I started laughing so hard, especially when I heard him walk through the front door. Finally I got some pay back for all the times he's tormented me over the years. It told you I had some tricks up me sleeve. And if I know Dante and I do, he'll probably try and sneak in here at night, But boy oh boy will he be 'shocked' to find out what happens if he touches that door knob.

I heard angry foot steps on my stair case; they then stopped at my door. "Hey, sis," he sighed, "I'm…I…goodnight and sweet dreams."

I heard the strain in his voice, and that's when I knew, as he took his first step down the stairs, "Be safe."

He pauses, then trudge the rest of the way down. It was the only thing I could say to him, 'be safe' cause when he spoke I knew he wasn't ever coming back up those stairs and when I heard him and his friends walk out the front door I knew he wasn't coming back for a long time. And I knew where ever he was going to he wasn't going to be safe. And for the first time in a long time I cried, even though she was down stairs, Mom cried with me too because she knew just like I did. He wasn't coming home for a long time. Just like Summer wasn't either. I wasn't sure if they would see each other down the road but I prayed to the fates that their safe. Even if I never see them again and my life becomes hollow.

 Two years later 

I quickly rushed up the stairs to my office. Oh damn I'm late I'm late. That stupid elevator was on the fritz again. God I hate this building. I barged through the door and then walked to me desk and plopped my ass down and tried regaining my breath. I would have been fine running up the stairs, but because I had to run all the way across town to work because my car broke down so I'm a little winded. When I caught my breathe I looked across the room to see my partner Asher sitting at his desk giving me a goofy smile. Over the past two years I've finally gotten over my fear of men, now I'm just afraid of men who hit on me, but since I'm used to Asher its okay.

I even started my own business when I got out of school, I'm now a private investigator slash detective and we always get our man or…big bad creepy crawly. We don't always get the normal cases; some times we get some that are on the supernatural side of things. I call anything super natural a creepy crawly because I'm too lazy to have to call them by proper name all the time. I've seen some things I wish I didn't, but we can't turn back the clock now can we. I really never thought I'd be a private investigator slash detective when I got older, but when mom was brutally murdered a few weeks after my brother left us; I guess I wanted to find her killer. The police never even looked, they put it in the cold case files, and funny the first bad guy I caught when I had this job was moms' killer. He was supposed to go on death row, but some one sot him before he could walk down that long cold wall way I was mad though I'd rather be the one pulling the trigger, but at least he was dead.

I glared at Asher, "What are you grinning about. Wipe that stupid grin of your face."

"Oh, I'm grinning because I'm thinking about you panting naked in my bed underneath me," he purred. I couldn't help it, my face turned like five different shades of red. I've always had a problem with blushing, when ever I got embarrassed I always did this no matter how hard I tried not to.

Asher laughed at my reaction to his flirting. "I'm just kidding; I just checked the messages and your two most favorite people called. First is Chief of police Chuck Morris from the police department, he called about you making the police department looking bad and that if you didn't stop you'll get in trouble."

I laughed, "Ha he's just jealous that I'm better at crime fighting than he is and it's my face on the newspapers and not his."

Asher laughed at that because he knew it was true, but then his face went serious. "The last one probably will get you in a mood so don't take it out on me. It's from your brother Dante. He wants to see you and connect or something, you know make up for lost time. He even said your dads with him, if you want to see them they're in a motel on the outskirts of town called The Elise Inn. So if you want I can-"

"No, I don't want to see them. Maybe some other time, right now I think I'd rather finish the Kelly case. I've already pin pointed the perps location I just need my partner, my gun and his car and I'm good to go," I told him trying to hide the bitterness in my voice. "Well then lets go my beautiful partner in crime," he said flirtatiously.

It took us fifteen minutes to get to the perps location. It was a nice looking blue Victorian house with red shudders. No one would ever suspect the guy inside was a serial rapist and kidnapper. If we were lucky Kelly was still alive. If not well all we could give her family was vengeance.

Asher flanked the left while I flanked the right, I would go through the back and he'd go through the front. When I gained entrance to the facility it again had an appearance of normalcy. I then proceeded to the basement door. I walked down the rickety stairs like a cat, if our rapist was down here he'd never hear me coming.

When I got to the bottom of the stair well I looked around and spotted another door with a lock this time. I grabbed my Nextel and bleeped Asher twice. Letting him know I found the girl and I'm going in. I then ran the door down and heard screaming coming from the corner of the room. I looked over to seem our missing kid, Kelly Sanderson. Poor thing looked like she'd been through hell, she'd been missing for two years now. "Hey don't worry I'm here to help you just be quiet and stick close to me," I said gently as I put my jacket around her. She nodded and grabbed my hand. We quickly made our way to my car, which I then put her inside, "Hey it'll be okay just lock the doors and stay in here until I get back. Here's my phone, if I don't come out in exactly fifteen minute call 9-1-1 ok."

She only looked at me with her tiny face and nodded. As I began to shut the door she grabbed my hand and smiled at me, "thank you," she rasped. I smiled at her and stalked aback into the house. This guy was going to pay for what he did to that girl. She was only seven when he took her, I can only imagine the things he's done to her.

I then proceeded to look for my partner and noticed the house was unusually quiet. My instincts told me my partner was in trouble and that he was in the attic. I didn't even think twice, I ran as fast as I could up the two flights of stairs. I then busted down the door to the attic to see Asher slide down the wall, the perp standing in front of him with a bat. The police were coming; I knew it because I could here theirs sirens mixed with the ambulances a mile away. So I aimed and shot the perp in the lung, he would live, but he would be in extensive care.

Asher shakily stood up and the perp fell to the floor. "You know you could have warned me he was sneaky," Asher grunted. "Now where would be the fun in that," I teased.

It didn't take long for paramedics to pick up our perp and fix up Asher. I turned around to see two things Kelly's parents crying as they hugged her for the first time in two years and the chief of police heading my way.

I groaned inwardly as he glared me down from ten paces away. I put on a fake smile and forced my self to look him in the face. "Hello Chuck, how you doing. I hope you're not mad at the fact I bagged another one," I said pleasantly.

His face began to redden and contort but then it began to relax. "Hello, detective Mandrake. You seem to keep bagging them as quick as they hit the cold case files. What's your secret Mandrake, aw who am I kidding you detective types never share your trade secrets. But I have to ask you though, it'd be nice for us to catch one once In a while," he spoke. I stared at him thoughtfully; I could use him better if he were an ally. "Well how about every time one of the cases your working on starts to go cold, call me I'll find your perp and tell you guys where he is and you can take all the glory, but you have to lay off when I solve another cold case, do we have a deal," I asked him.

He looked thoughtful for a while like he was weighing his options. "We have a deal," he said as he shook my hand. After that the press and news were all over the scene asking me questions like, "You did it again miss Mandrake so what's next," or, "How did you know exactly where to find them," or, " How does it feel to reunite a family after so long?"

I answered like I always did, giving half truths or saying no comment. The whole way home from the scene of the crime I couldn't shake off the feeling of being watched and funny thing was I probably was.

We reached our office around closing time, Asher decided to go home early and nurse his head. I didn't mind, he deserved to get off early, besides I was going to stay late and finish my report on the Kelly case.

When I entered my office I noticed two things, the front door was unlocked and the windows were open. I carefully shut the door and grabbed my gun from its holster. I walked across the thresh hold to my desk when I felt a presence or more likely presences from behind me. I quickly spun around gun up and saw a face I thought I'd never see again.

"Is that any way to treat your brother? You know you could shoot some ones eye out with that right," Dante my used to be non existent brother said. I stared at him wide eyed for a few seconds but then gained my serious composure again and aimed my gun at his crouch. I heard a collective gasp through out the men with him in the room.

His eyes widened at my intentions at what I wanted to do. "Now I know you're mad, and you have every right to be but just calm down alright lets talk this through," he pleaded nervously. "Yeah, sure like you did when you left me and mom all alone, I don't think so. And my dear dear brother I'm not mad, I'm fucking raging. And your one of the sources of my rage of course my psychiatrist told me I see counseling on my apparent anger issues, but I find it helps me when I'm in a bad situation," I hissed at him.

I then heard him sigh. "I thought when I came back it'd be a little hostile but I never thought it'd be this bad. I'm sorry I left you and mom alone, but I wish I could tell you why I had to leave but I can't, it's the same way for dad," he said sadly.

"What do you mean the same way for dad?"

"He means I left for reasons that are the same as his," said a deep throaty voice.

I used to love that voice as I was a kid, but I'm no longer a kid. I then turned my head not moving my gun from its position to the voice that spoke. I gasped as a man came out of the shadows that resembled my dad; he looked the same as the day he left. Which was weird he should have started to age by now.

"Okay I've had enough of this shit if you don't leave I really don't care but I'm not talking to you, but if you so much as touch something I'll shoot you in a heart beat," I threatened them as I walked over to my desk and sat down.

Everyone in the shadows then came out and started to look at all the newspaper articles of me or of murders I was looking into. I started to type my report and then the realization hit me. Catching that guy was way too easy, in fact all my cases in the past two months have been like that. Then I realized they were all connected in some way shape or form. Each one had to do with a kidnapping of a child that had red hair with either blue, yellow, or both color eyes like mine. Whether it resulted in their murder or them being raped it had a similar M.O. Even a few of them had been in their twenties but they all had red hair and were female.

I couldn't believe I didn't see this earlier, this meant that all these murders and kidnapping that were cold case weren't just random, and some one was controlling all this from behind the scenes.

I immediately jumped from my seat and stared at my computer screen. Something really big was going on and it had to do with Females with red hair and eyes like me. Of course I had one blue eye and one yellow eye but their had been victims with the same appearance.

I then realized every one was staring at me kinda funny. I felt a little uneasy by their stares but I didn't let it show. You know I think I recognize these people. Yeah I do it's the ones my brother left with; even Shuichi, Yusuke and Kuwabara were here, weird.

"What are you staring at? Because if its me and you value your sight I suggest you stop looking at me."

"I see you've changed since I last say you and that you've been keeping yourself busy fighting crime," Dante accused. He then looked at the one article I had hoped he wouldn't. He then got a sad expression and turned towards me, "how long has it been since she died."

I looked at him with a some what hurt expression, "It's been one year, 9 months, three days, and twelve hours. And I could go into the specific seconds but I'm not going to," I told him.

The look in his eye told me he new why I now chose this career and why I acted so cold. It was the same look I got from all of them but my fathers was one that was laced with sadness and worry. I glared at every one of them for the look they all gave me.

"If you'll all excuse me I've got-" I stopped mid sentence and fell to my knees as a sharp pain sliced through my heart. White hot pain hit me behind my eyes as a vision came to me. This is how I always found my killer, through visions I had.

It started off as a man entering a house, wait it was Asher, my vision was about Asher. He jumped on the couch. It was about ten thirty at night, which was in five minutes. He then got attacked by something. He was fighting it but losing, I started to come out of it but I could feel him dying. Oh my god he was dieing. Right now.

As soon as it started it ended and my eyes started to adjust to my scenery. I was on the office floor and every ones face was near mine. "Are you alright sis," Dante asked. I pushed everyone and jumped to up to my feet but almost feel from a wave of dizziness. "Hey you should sit down you don't look to good there lass," a man with red hair and an irish accent said. "No I have to go, he needs me. He'll die if I don't get there in five minutes," I rasped out quickly. "What are you talking about Autumn," Shuichi asked me. "Asher's going to die in five minutes if I don't get to his house on 23rd street," I screamed as I tried to get out the door.

/end story/

to be conitnued... rate and review please or i'll keep crying T.T


	2. I'm my own captain

_Re-cap: "Hey you should sit down you don't look to good there lass," a man with red hair and an Irish accent said. "No I have to go, he needs me. He'll die if I don't get there in five minutes," I rasped out quickly. "What are you talking about Autumn," Shuichi asked me. "Asher's going to die in five minutes if I don't get to his house on 23rd street," I screamed as I tried to get out the door. _

No one seemed to grasp the concept that I had to get to Asher's before it was too late because my brother seemed to block my exit. "Autumn what are you talking about how would you know if this Asher person was in danger," Dante asked crossing his arms.

I knew if I didn't get out now I wouldn't save his life in time and Dante wasn't moving, there was one thing I could do. But dare a risk using my trump card. It didn't look like I had a choice.

I jumped back and gave myself about a six feet radius from me and the people in the room. I reached out with my mind and found the door with the symbol fire on it. I opened it and stared at the vortex of flames surrounding a huge dark shadow and began the chant outside my body. The summoning chant.

"I call upon the you a creature of fire. A being of courage, heart, and power. My will for strength will not tier. I call upon you in this my darkest hour. I summon you Balthazar the dragon of fire," I spoke my voice echoing in the room as I extended my hands upward and a magic circle appear in mid air.

A strange light I was used to engulfed the room and a booming voice echoed from it. **_Ah little one how may I be of service to you._**

"My friend Asher do you remember him?"

**_Hmm. He was the annoying man with the goofy smile and the orange hair?_**"Yes, that's him. He's in danger and I need you to help me save him."

**_I don't know what you see in him but I can't help him I can't see the enemies plus I just don't like him I'm more experienced than he is, so my dear I guess I'll be going. When you want a real male call me._**

****I blush at his comment, but I knew his weakness to get him to help and that was his ego. "I know but it's said that you're the fastest flier in the entire universe and here I thought you could fly me over there but if you're not up to it I understand. It must have been some one else I heard about as being the fastest flier."

**_What? There is no one faster than me in the entire universe! Hang on Young one It's going to be a hell of a rush._**

The light faded and out side my office window was Balthazar. He looked like a dragon from out of a final fantasy game except more royal looking and plus he was all red and huge. Like in half the empire state building huge. But I wasn't really thinking about the repercussions of what I just did at the moment and more of if I'll make it to Asher's in time.

**_"Now hop on my back and I'll show you who's the fastest flier in the universe is," _**Balthazar bellowed.

I jumped on his back and before anyone in the room could make a comment or protest we were gone. And I found out how fast he really was. He was like break the sound barrier fast and it felt like the rest of my body was just catching up and then another half of it felt like regurgitating all over the ground.

I don't like summoning things especially if there's another option but I couldn't take the chance that I wouldn't get her in time. It was the same as back then, right after my father left I was so alone and I'd run away from home time to time looking for my father but I always came back because I would think 'what if my father came home when I was gone and I wasn't there' but he never did.

It used to always worry my mother a lot because of my sudden disappearances, but at the time I was being selfish and didn't care not think of how she must of felt. Then one day when I was looking for him in an abandoned mine their was a cave in and I couldn't get back out so I went in deeper into the darkness thinking 'maybe it'll open up on the other side'. So I went deeper and deeper and soon I went so deep I couldn't find my way back.

I'd been stuck inside the mine shaft for days trying to find my way out through the twists and turns of the mine, but to no avail. And then when I thought all hope was lost and the darkness started to close in on me I heard a voice.

_/ "I'm…I'm so cold. I can't see the darkness is closing in on me. Is this what it feels like to die. I'm scared, please some one help me," a seven year old Autumn cried. The dripping of the water from the stalagmites was the only noise she could hear as she fell further into the darkness. It was consuming her, destroying her identity, erasing her inner self, and soon the Autumn that was before would disappear forever in this cold dark place._

_So She did the only thing she could do as she felt to the rocky floor, she cried. She cried for all the things she'd never do and never finding her father and for worrying her mother and never knowing what would have been if she lived._

_**Don't cry little one. You are not alone. I'm here within you just call me out and I will save you.**_

_Autumn gasped where was that voice coming from. "Who are you? Are you god," autumn asked as she was falling into the darkness._

_**I'm Balthazar, lord of fire, and some one who will always be by your side. Just invoke my name and I will serve you forever little one.**_

_"I don't know how," Autumns weak voice called out to the strong male one. A small warm red light floated towards her._

_**You know how the words were imbedded in you before you birth don't worry the words will come to you.**_

_ "I call upon…"_

_**Go on. Keep going you've almost got it.**_

_The words all of a sudden came to her and and a bright door seemed to open in her minds eye. "I call upon the you a creature of fire. A being of courage, heart, and power. My will for strength will not tier. I call upon you in this my darkest hour. I summon you Balthazar the dragon of fire," Autumn cried out as the warm healing light engulfed her and she had to close her eye's._

_When she opened her eye's she a huge dragon stood before her before she slipped into peaceful darkness./_

****And that was how I met Balthazar. After I summoned him I woke up in a hospital, apparently he flew me home with out anyone seeing him. I never left home after that, but I still talked to him time to time even if he's a total pervert that may or may not have a thing for me. I remember when I was ten and he asked if I'd let him make love to me and me being as innocent as I was that time I asked him what that was and I think that's how my whole 'I'm afraid of men' thing happened because he gave me a long talk of the birds and the bee's pervert style.

But now was not the time to dwell on the past I needed to save Asher. I jumped off Balthazar's back and ran as fast as I could into Asher's house. I felt Balthazar return to his proper place and I felt Asher's life fading. I busted down the door to witness Asher laying face first on the floor in a pile of his own blood. I ran to his side and turned him over. "Asher, Asher, please don't die on me. Wake up please," I cried as I shook him. But he wouldn't wake up, I was too late.

I looked up with pure hatred in my eyes at the demon that did this to him. Was he laughing at this, was he really laughing at killing my best, recently only friend, and partner. Power started leaking though my pores as I stalked over to the demon bastard, he would pay for what he did with his life.

I summoned a power I never new dwelt inside me and released it full force on him. A fire in the shape of fire raced at the demon and engulfed him he screamed as he turned into a pile of ashes. I must have blacked out because after that I only remember walking out of a burning house in a complete daze covered in wounds I didn't know I had staring at my father. Then a cool peaceful darkness similar to the one I experienced as a child engulfed me.

Dream sequence

_"Asher what are you doing," I asked my partner as I tried to peek through the locked office door. The door abruptly shut firmly closed and lock before I could get a good peek. "You'll just have to be patient. I'm almost done," he sang through the door. I sighed in frustration and leaned my head against the wooden door, only to have it suddenly taken right from under me causing me to meet the floor in an untimely fashion. _

_As I non-intentionally decided to say hello to the ground Asher's leaned down to me eye level. "Now what are you doing down her silly," he said cheekily. Too cheekily._

_"Oh I decided I wanted to inspect the floor for leprechauns. What does it look like I'm doing you idiot, I fell because you opened the stupid door while I was leaning on it," I yelled at him. I got up with him and hit him in the head with a book I always seem to carry with me like a priest with his bible._

_"Ow! Why are you so mean to me Autumn," he wined, "and after what I just did for you too."_

_"what do you mean-," but I didn't have time to finish because I looked at the office and it was decorated from he to toe with happy birthday Autumn balloons and streamer. There was even a present at my desk with a happy birth day card._

_"What? But how did you know," I asked almost staring in aw at the office. "Well I did a little searching through your personal file and I found it," he grinned._

_"Damn those files," I muttered angrily. Asher looked at me weirdly and thought better of it then to ask what I said. He grabbed the present of my desk and held it out for me. "Here why don't you open it first then we can go and get some cake mix and bake you a cake at my house."_

_I warily grabbed the present expecting it to electrocute me or something, but it didn't. Opened up the medium sized box to find a picture frame with a picture of me and him nabbing our first bad guy together. I looked at him teary eyed, even though it wasn't an expensive gift it was one of the heart and that was better than any diamond or video game._

_"I thought you might like it, I got it so you'd always have a part of me with you when I'm not here," he said looking start into my eyes. _

_I couldn't hold it in any more I jumped on him and hugged him so hard he could hardly breathe. "Wait…Autumn…there's still more…in the box," he gasped out. I immediately let go of him and opened it up more and revealed black lacey lingerie, my face must have looked completely and utterly mortified. "That's for when you decided to thank me latter tonight in my bed," he grinned perversely._

_"And here I thought you weren't going to pull anything perverted today," I said between clenched teeth. I hit him so hard he went flying through the ceiling._

End dream sequence

I groggily woke up to hush whispering that soon turned violent and loud so I tried to pry my heavy eyelids open to only have them flutter shut. I opened them again to be meet with two arguing figures out side an opened door. When my vision became normal I noticed one of the arguing figures was my good for nothing father and the other one was my good for nothing brother.

"Dad I won't let you do it. I won't let her get caught up in spirit world affairs especially if it puts her in danger," my bother yelled.

"That's not for you to decide she will train so that we can utilized and find out more about her powers. You don't give her much credit Dante she's stronger than you think," my father yelled back.

"And it's not for you to decide either, you didn't take care of her I did ever since you left so I know what's best for her."

"I'm your father and you'll listen to me, and I say she'll train and help defeat the Radians," my father argued.

What were they talking about and who did they think they are making up my mind for me. I proceeded to wobbly get out of the bed and noticed the room resembled that of a hospital even the dress I was wearing was that of a hospitals. I leaned on the wall and grabbed a two foot paper fan off of a utensil tray and made my way over to my still arguing brother and father.

I got within range and hit them both really hard upside the head as an anger vein formed on my head. "Ow what was that for," the screamed in unison.

The faces of anger then turned into ones of shock and I wobbly grabbed a hold of the door frame. "Nobody and I mean nobody tells me what to do, you hear. I'm the captain of my own life so bug off," I screamed.

I then began to walk on leaning against the wall down the long white corridor when I heard a voice behind me shout, "Wait Ms. Mandrake."

"What the fuck do you people want now," I yelled as I turned around to see…


	3. A talking baby now thats strange

_Re-cap: The faces of anger then turned into ones of shock and I wobbly grabbed a hold of the door frame. "Nobody and I mean nobody tells me what to do, you hear. I'm the captain of my own life so bug off," I screamed. I then began to walk on leaning against the wall down the long white corridor when I heard a voice behind me shout, "Wait Ms. Mandrake." _

Chapter 3:

"What the fuck do you people want now," I yelled as I turned around to see Kurama walking towards me but stopped ten feet away. "Ms. Mandrake please go back to your room, you're not well. You can't leave. We're only trying to help you," Suichi implored sweetly.

It was hard to be mad at some one when they asked so nicely and had those big beautiful green puppy dog eyes, but I managed some how. Of course I was just redirecting rage that was meant for my brother and father but I needed to yell some more before I would feel a bit better. "Don't you think I realize this and does it look I care. I just want to go back to my cozy little apartment on the crappy side of town and get back to my meager existence. Oh an FYI you guys aren't helping you're making things worse and if you don't mind I'm going home to watch catscratch and Naruto."

I think I covered everything, well almost. It seemed there was a slight breeze coming in from my back so I turned my head and remembered this was a hospital gown and they had openings in the back that showed a little too much. Blushing I quickly maneuver myself so that my back was on the wall, but suddenly regretted that because I almost buckled in pain. My brother made an attempt to help me but stopped when he saw my seething glare, but it seemed to have no effect on my father who immediately grabbed my shoulders and steadied me.

"Honey your being unreason-" he never finished what he was going to say because I socked him one good in the face. This was why my brother hadn't done anything when he saw my glare, probably remembering when he was eight and I was seven and kicked him so hard in the nuts he couldn't pee for a week.

But unlike my brother he didn't go flying, his face was just turned to the side from my punch, strangely when he turned to face me his expression was blank and his eyes were uncaring. And I could of swore I heard a collective gasp throughout the hall and I would have looked to see who it came from but my vision seemed to blur. I must have been crying and not have noticed because my father wiped some tears from my face.

All the buried emotions I should have been feeling when I woke up abruptly came crashing out the flood gates, Asher's death the sudden appearance of my father and brother abruptly disrupting my life, and a little bit a suppressed emotions of when they both left me and mom and she'd cry everyday right until she died. "I hate you," I wailed.

"I know," he whispered as pulled me towards him for a huge. I ended up crying so hard into his chest it felt like my vocal cords were going to burst. Which I latter regretted the next day, yeah I was still there, because they some how got me to stay.

My throat was so raw that my voice sounded kinda crotchety and wheezy. Even though my body was in pain I really didn't care, I was to depressed that I felt numb after I stopped crying a few hours ago. And did you know there was 534 tiles on the ceiling and exactly 328 dots in each one and 69 of those dots looked like sad lonely people who had no one to love them and would die from overdosing on sleeping pills at the age of thirty a virgin either that or they were bunnies.

The door slightly creaked open to reveal smiling Suichi Minamino in all his pretty boy glory. And my god, Jesus, he was one hot pretty boy. Of course I'd never tell him that.

"Are you doing any better Ms. Mandrake," he asked so sweetly showing off one of those melt your ice heart smiles. "I guess so, oh and if you tell anyone that I bawled my eyes out I'll beat your face so bad that not even your mom will look at you," I threatened while eyeing him for a response which I got.

"Don't worry I won't tell a soul Ms. Mandrake I can assure you," he spoke softly. "Autumn," I said. "What?"

"Call me Autumn, Ms. Mandrake was my mother and it makes me sound like how I sound," I sighed. He gave me another one of those smiles, but now that I looked at it his smiles they seemed kind of empty. It's sad how a good looking smart guy like him that could get anything he wanted had such an empty smile as if he had nothing and was dieing inside. Omg maybe he's die from something. "Are you dieing?"

He looked at me surprised and even a bit confused, "No. Why do you ask Ms. Mandrake?"

Okay that was a stupid question; it seems I have gotten over the being scared of men thing just a bit but that doesn't mean I'm good at the whole speaking to them thing. God I say stupid things! "No reason. And would it kill you to just say my first name," I said trying to desperately change the subject.

"It might not but it just doesn't feel right saying you first name, I hope you understand," he laughed kinda awkwardly. Oh yeah I understand very well, he doesn't like me. I'm probably just that weird ugly girl that's the sister of one of his friends. I gave him a weak smile as if to make it seem as if I find it kinda funny even though it really just cut through her opening old wounds. Funny how just one sentence that doesn't really seem hurtful or mean can hurt some ones feelings.

"Now I need to take you to see some one, it's impertinent that you see him now," Suichi notified. He left the room and came back with a wheel chair and looked at her expectantly. "Um, I'm fine I don't need a wheel chair. I can walk," I claimed.

"Sure but I don't want you to strain yourself, it's best you not walk until the doctor gives you a clean bill of health. So if you would."

He gestured to the wheel chair now beside her and held out the other hand to help her get into it as if she was some weak child. "Can I change into some clothes first? This hospital gown is making me very uncomfortable," which it was. My hold backside was being aired out like dirty laundry for the whole world to see.

My comment seemed to make him blush for some reason; he didn't think I needed help to get dressed did he, because I didn't! "Um uh…well all there is that you could wear at the moment is some scrubs but there a little big."

"Give'm to me, anything is better than this thing, I feel like a fat old woman in a muumuu," I whined. He cleared his throat and handed me the scrubs turning his head away from me face scarlet. "Um can you leave the room so I can change please," I informed. His face seemed to get even more scarlet because of what he said next, "I'm not allowed to leave you alone. You fathers orders, plus your brother wants to make sure you don't do anything rash," he croaked out.

Great basically no one trusted me and thought I was going to commit suicide, are they stupid, I'm too cowardly to do that. Be grudgingly grabbing the scrubs from his outstretched hand I turned around and proceeded to put them on, all the while my heart was only seconds away from bursting from my chest. When I got the scrubs on he was right they were big, they were obviously made for a tall person, the sleeves were hanging off my arms by four inches as were the pants.

When I turned around I had the strangest inkling that Suichi had been watching me change, but then again why would any one watch me change, I to ugly for his type. "Done," I announced to him. He seemed relieved about that. Guess the thought of being in a room with some ugly chick changing next to you is uncomfortable.

He quickly got me into the wheel chair as if not wanting to touch me anymore than he had to, I must be really repulsive. "Oh and I'm going to need you to put this blindfold on so if you don't mind," he smiled apologetically.

I looked at him quizzically but I was way too tired to put up a fight so I quickly took the blindfold and tied it over my eyes. "Don't try anything funny."

Suichi chuckled at my comment as he rolled me away down what I'm guessing is a hall. Of course I thought it weird that I'd have to wear a blindfold to go down a hallway in a hospital but I wasn't going to read too much into it. I'd find out why as soon as this blindfold is taken off.

It was kinda awkward going down the hallway not seeing anything and having to listen to the squeaking of the wheels the whole time due to the fact that both of us weren't conversing. Then as I was in thought a cold chill went up my spine and the hairs on the back of my neck were on end. "Suichi I'd like to turn around."

"I'm sorry Ms. Mandrake but we're almost to our destination," he advised. I went to get up and protest but he pushed me back down with unbelievable strength I didn't think he had. I heard a door open some where and Suichi, I'm guessing, took off the blindfold to reveal a nice spacious office room with a hell of a view. I looked to the side to see my father, brother, Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Hiei.

Some one cleared there throat from behind an office chair in front of me, the chair swirled around to reveal…a baby! I almost started laughing but thought better of it; I didn't feel like making my throat hurt any more than it did. "Hello Ms. Mandrake," it said. No wonder the hairs on the back of my neck were on end, this had supernatural all over it, which is usually when the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.

I think my left eye was twitching, which usually happens when I'm aggravated or freaked out, because he then proceeded to glare at me. "I realize I look like a baby but I can assure you I'm much older then you," it ground out. I guess he got made fun of a lot about his appearance, I kina of felt sorry for him, I knew how that felt.

"Sorry it's just well… you kind of surprised me. Didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable, I know what it's like to be made fun of for appearances," I said calmly. He just blinked at me in surprise, as if no ones apologized for making fun of him. Even if it was accidental.

His eyes seemed to tear up at the endearment, "You're the only person that understands. sniff Why can't you all be more like her, I can't believe you two are even related to her," it Whined. "Um, so you want us to get a sex change," Yusuke joked causing an uproar of laughter from every one. Except Hiei who just smirked and Suichi who just chuckled. OMG! They thought that getting a sex change that they would look exactly like me, am I that ugly! Before I could yell at them for the insult the baby beat me to it. "Shut up Yusuke! Don't insist that if you get a sex change you'll look like her, that's insulting. She's not ugly so there would be no way in hell that you'd look like her!".

Everyone quieted down after that looking at him shocked, "That's not what I meant, I just…" Nothing Yusuke said was going to fix what he said; you can't take back what you've already said. I know that better than anyone. "Aw you're my hero… um…what's you're name," I asked. He blushed a little and stuttered out in reply, "Koenma."

"Well then, aw you're my hero Koenma," I giggled. Yes I giggled, I giggle sometimes, when I feel the need to. But this only caused his face to only redden more. "Alright we're getting off track here. This is not why we brought her here, so lets get on with it," my father reminded. "I'm sorry your right," he conceded as his attention came crashing down on me. OoOo I don't like this, this has intervention all over it either that or bad news, it's probably the latter.

"Ms. Mandrake it's come to my attention that you have…lets say certain 'traits', which have put you in great danger. Your 'traits' are unknown to us as were your brothers when we first found him but we'd like to help you develop these 'traits' and protect you," Koenma spoke. Why did I need protecting, I can take care of myself just fine. "What do you mean 'traits' and why would I need protecting I can take can of myself just fine."

I heard a few snorts of disbelief coming from my side so with out looking I flipped them off and kept my attention on Koenma. "Okay I'm not following, what do you mean 'traits' and who'd want to hurt me- wait…oh yeah there's that butch lesbian and that evil evil squirrel that lives in my walls at home and I think that old guy across the streets out to get me and maybe the chief of police because I make him look like a lazy ass… but other than that I don't know who'd be out to get me. Well actually the mob might ever since I bus-" I never got to finish because Koenma interrupted my spiel that led to no where. "When I say traits I mean your powers of magical gifts. I guess I should just tell you straight out that your being hunted down by a secret society of demons called the Radians. There merciless, cruel, sick, and they'll do anything to get what they want. Which is why you need to stay here with us and learn to protect yourself incase that no ones there to protect you and so that maybe one day you wont need us anymore."

I basically stared at him flabbergasted; of course they'd know I had some powers considering they saw one of them. I knew that was going to come back and bite me in the ass, I should have thought that one through but…I shouldn't go down that road right now it was already to raw and fresh of a wound on my soul. "I was hoping you'd have just thought you were having mass hysteria or something. Guess I'm not that lucky. So people are hunting me down…hmmm."

Koenma looked at me a little quizzically as if he didn't expect me to take this so well, "So you took it pretty well, are you sure you're not going to freak out and call me a liar or something or think I'm crazy because most people would have by now," he informed.

I laughed lightly and look him straight in the eyes and said, "Well most people can't summon a powerful dragon of legends and see the future every now and then. Plus most people don't find those who have been lost or given up on because they can't be found so there tossed aside in a file to rot there fore ever."

"Well I guess you're right but I'd like to know as to when you got these powers."

"Yes I'd like to know when you got theses powers my daughter," it looked like my father decided to put some input in to this conversation. He really didn't deserve to know when I got these powers but I had a feeling they could make me talk if you know what I mean. I let out a heavy sigh, I'd only told two people when I'd got my powers and one was dead the other among the missing. "Well right after this jerk left I used to go looking for him all the time. I think I was about six or seven at the time. I know I used to worry mom all the time but one day, I don't know what gave me the brilliant idea, but I went into an abandon mine and there was a cave in. I think I was trapped down there wondering aimlessly in the darkness for days then as I fell down a crevasse and as I was lying at the bottom thinking I was going to die this door in my mind just opened up some sort of door and this loud booming voice told me to invoke them. He told me I'd now the words that they were imbedded in me at birth and it's funny but he was right. When I ended up at the hospital I told everyone I got lost in the woods or something and tweetle dumb over here believed it." My father and brother looked shocked and a little sad as if they could have done anything to have helped me back then and that I felt the need to keep it a secret for so long.

A low resonating sound washed over the room as a violent shaking took place as if there was some sort of earthquake or explosion. Immediately after that a siren went off signifying something bad because everyone in the room tensed and jumped out of their seats and looked ready to fight. Before I could ask what was wrong I was sent flying by an explosion into the wall, as the dust cleared I found it hard to open my eyed but managed to some how and saw some ominous figure cover in blood starting at me menacingly. But before I could…

_Authors note: Please rate and review. I'd really apreciate it!_


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